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sit doon as ready as nothat wud hewi' ony puir body like mysel'；
an' gie him his cracks； an' hear his news； an' drink his glaiss； an'
mak naething o' 't。 But this man； haith！ wha ever saw him cheenge
word wi' brither man？〃
〃I never h'ard hoo he came to the teetle： they say he was but some
far awa' cousin！〃 remarked a farmer…looking man； florid and stout。
〃Hoots！ he was ain brither to the last yerl； wi' richt to the
teetle； though nane to the property。 That he's but takin' care o'
till his niece come o' age。 He was a heap aboot the place afore his
brither dee'd； an' they war freen's as weel 's brithers。 They say
'at the lady Arctoorah'ard ye ever sic a hathenish name for a
lass！is b'un' to merry the yoong lord。 There 's a sicht o'
clapper…clash aboot the place； an' the fowk； an' their strange w'ys。
They tell me nane can be said to ken the yerl but his ain man。 For
mysel' I never cam i' their coonselno' even to the buyin' or
sellin' o' a lamb。〃
〃Weel；〃 said a fair…haired； pale…faced man； 〃we ken frae scriptur
'at the sins o' the fathers is veesitit upo' the children to the
third an' fourth generationan' wha can tell？〃
〃Wha can tell；〃 rejoined another； who had a judicial look about him；
in spite of an unshaven beard； and a certain general disregard to
appearances； 〃wha can tell but the sins o' oor faithers may be lyin'
upo' some o' oorsel's at this varra moment？〃
〃In oor case； I canna see the thing wad be fair；〃 said a fifth： 〃we
dinna even ken what they did！〃
〃We're no to interfere wi' the wull o' the Almichty；〃 rejoined the
former。 〃It gangs its ain gait； an' mortal canna tell what that gait
is。 His justice winna be contert。〃
Donal felt that to be silent now would be to decline witnessing。 He
feared argument； lest he should fail and wrong the right； but he
must not therefore hang back。 He drew his chair towards the table。
〃Wad ye lat a stranger put in a word； freen's？〃 he said。
〃Ow ay； an' welcome！ We setna up for the men o' Gotham。〃
〃Weel； I wad spier a question gien I may。〃
〃Speir awa'。 Answer I winna insure；〃 said the man unshaven。
〃Weel； wad ye please tell me what ye ca' the justice o' God？〃
〃Onybody could tell ye that： it consists i' the punishment o' sin。
He gies ilka sinner what his sin deserves。〃
〃That seems to me an unco ae…sidit definition o' justice。〃
〃Weel； what wad ye mak o' 't？〃
〃I wad say justice means fair play； an' the justice o' God lies i'
this； 'at he gies ilka man； beast； an' deevil； fair play。〃
〃I'm doobtfu' aboot that！〃 said a drover…looking fellow。 〃We maun
gang by the word； an' the word says he veesits the ineequities o'
the fathers upo' the children to the third an' fourth generation： I
never could see the fair play o' that！〃
〃Dinna ye meddle wi' things； John； 'at ye dinna un'erstan'； ye may
wauk i' the wrang box！〃 said the old man。
〃I want to un'erstan'；〃 returned John。 〃I'm no sayin' he disna du
richt； I'm only sayin' I canna see the fair play o' 't。〃
〃It may weel be richt an' you no see 't！〃
〃Ay' weel that！ But what for sud I no say I dinna see 't？ Isna the
blin' man to say he's blin'？〃
This was unanswerable； and Donal again spoke。
〃It seems to me；〃 he said； 〃we need first to un'erstan' what's
conteened i' the veesitin' o' the sins o' the fathers upo' the
children； afore we daur ony jeedgment concernin' 't。〃
〃Ay； that 's sense eneuch！〃 confessed a responsive murmur。
〃I haena seen muckle o' this warl' yet； compared wi' you； sirs；〃
Donal went on； 〃but I hae been a heap my lane wi' nowt an' sheep；
whan a heap o' things gaed throuw my heid； an' I hae seen something
as weel； though no that muckle。 I hae seen a man； a' his life
'afore a douce honest man； come til a heap o' siller； an' gang to
the dogs！〃
A second murmur seemed to indicate corroboration。
〃He gaed a' to the dogs； as I say；〃 continued Donal； 〃an' the bairns
he left 'ahint him whan he dee'd o' drink； cam upo' the perris； or
wad hae hungert but for some 'at kenned him whan he was yet in
honour an' poverty。 Noo； wad ye no say this was a veesitin' o' the
sins o' the father upo' the children？〃
〃Ay； doobtless！〃
〃Weel； whan I h'ard last aboot them； they were a' like eneuch to
turn oot honest lads an' lasses。〃
〃Ow； I daursay！〃
〃An' what micht ye think the probability gien they had come intil a
lot o' siller whan their father dee'd？〃
〃Maybe they micht hae gane the same gait he gaed！〃
〃Was there injustice than； or was there favour i' that veesitation
o' the sins o' their father upo' them？〃
There was no answer。 The toddy went down their throats and the
smoke came out of their mouths； but no one dared acknowledge it
might be a good thing to be born poor instead of rich。 So entirely
was the subject dropped that Donal feared he had failed to make
himself understood。 He did not know the general objection to
talking of things on eternal principles。 We set up for judges of
right while our very selves are wrong！ He saw that he had cast a
wet blanket over the company； and judged it better to take his
leave。
Borrowing a wheelbarrow； he trundled his chest home； and unpacking
it in the archway； carried his books and clothes to his room。
CHAPTER X
THE PARISH CLERGYMAN。
The next day； Donal put on his best coat； and went to call on the
minister。 Shown into the study； he saw seated there the man he had
met on his first day's journey； the same who had parted from him in
such displeasure。 He presented his letter。
Mr。 Carmichael gave him a keen glance； but uttered no word until he
had read it。
〃Well； young man；〃 he said； looking up at him with concentrated
severity； 〃what would you have me do？〃
〃Tell me of any situation you may happen to know or hear of； sir；〃
said Donal。 〃That is all I could expect。〃
〃All！〃 repeated the clergyman； with something very like a sneer；
〃but what if I think that all a very great deal？ What if I
imagine myself set in charge over young minds and hearts？ What if I
know you better than the good man whose friendship for your parents
gives him a kind interest in you？ You little thought how you were
undermining your prospects last Friday！ My old friend would
scarcely have me welcome to my parish one he may be glad to see out
of his own！ You can go to the kitchen and have your dinnerI have
no desire to render evil for evilbut I will not bid you God…speed。
And the sooner you take yourself out of this； young man； the
better！〃
〃Good morning； sir！〃 said Donal； and left the room。
On the doorstep he met a youth he had known by sight at the
university： it was the minister's sonthe worst…behaved of all the
students。 Was this a case of the sins of the father being visited
on the child？ Does God never visit the virtues of the father on the
child？
A little ruffled； and not a little disappointed； Donal walked away。
Almost unconsciously he took the road to the castle； and coming to
the gate； leaned on the top bar； and stood thinking。
Suddenly； down through the trees came Davie bounding； pushed his
hand through between the bars； and shook hands with him。
〃I have been looking for you all day；〃 he said。
〃Why？〃 asked Donal。
〃Forgue sent you a letter。〃
〃I have had no letter。〃
〃Eppy took it this morning。〃
〃Ah； that explains！ I have not been home since breakfast。〃
〃It was to say my father would like to see you。〃
〃I will go and get it： then I shall know what to do。〃
〃Why do you live there？ The cobbler is a dirty little man！ Your
clothes will smell of leather！〃
〃He is not dirty；〃 said Donal。 〃His hands do get dirtyvery dirty
with his workand his face too； and I daresay soap and water can't
get them quite clean。 But he will have a nice earth…bath one day；
and that will take all the dirt off。 And if you could see his
soulthat is as clean as clean can beso clean it is quite
shining！〃
〃Have you seen it？〃 said the boy； looking up at Donal； unsure
whether he was making game of him； or meaning something very
serious。
〃I have had a glimpse or two of it。 I never saw a cleaner。You
know； my dear boy； there's a cleanness much deeper than the skin！〃
〃I know！〃 said Davie； but stared as if he wondered he would speak of
such things。
Donal returned his gaze。 Out of the fullness of his heart his eyes
shone。 Davie was reassured。
〃Can you ride？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； a little。〃
〃Who taught you？〃
〃An old mare I was fond of。〃
〃Ah； you are making game of me！ I do not like to be made game of；〃
said Davie； and turned away。
〃No indeed；〃 replied Donal。 〃I never make game of anybody。But now
I will go and find the letter。〃
〃I would go with you；〃 said the boy； 〃but my father will not let me
beyond the grounds。 I don't know why。〃
Donal hastened home； and found himself eagerly expected； for the
letter young Eppy had brought was from the earl。 It informed Donal
that it would give his lordship pleasure to see him； if he would
favour him with a call。
In a few minutes he was again on the road to the castle。
CHAPTER XI。
THE EARL。
He met no one on his way from the gate up through the wood。 He
ascended the hill with its dark ascending firs； to its crown of
silvery birch